


Depressive Symptoms

by TintedPink



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Depression, Hurt/Comfort, Tony comforts Stephen through depression, hurt/some comfort, no happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-20
Updated: 2018-10-20
Packaged: 2019-08-05 00:29:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 550
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16357148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TintedPink/pseuds/TintedPink
Summary: Stephen Strange occasionally experiences depressive symptoms.





	Depressive Symptoms

**Author's Note:**

> Posted on Tumblr [Here](https://iwritefanficsometimes.tumblr.com/post/179099211374/stephen-strange-occasionally-experiences).

Stephen Strange occasionally experiences depressive symptoms.

He’s not so self-absorbed that he believes he can’t have depression. He knows logically that depression can affect anyone and that loosing his entire career to a car accident could have triggered it. He also knows that it didn’t. Stephen had grieved, yes. Stephen had been upset, angry, lashed out, rejected the possibility of never performing surgery again, but Stephen hadn’t become depressed, not in the way that he was now.

Trying to get out of bed physically hurt. He couldn’t concentrate. He didn’t want to move. When Tony nudged him sometime mid-morning Stephen couldn’t even muster the energy to open his eyes. He knew that Tony would worry, and he knew that the last thing he wanted was to make Tony worried, but he was so tired. His entire body felt heavy in a way he knew was psychological, but that he felt powerless to affect.

“Stephen?” Tony asks, sitting down on the bed beside him. “Don’t they need you at the… temple, thing.”

“The Sanctum will be fine.” He thinks, but doesn’t say. Words are too hard.

“Stephen, I need you to look at me.” Tony takes one of Stephen’s scarred hand delicately in his own, kissing it lightly. “I need to know if you’re okay. Are you sick? Do we need a doctor? Do we need Wong?”

Finally, finally, Stephen opens his eyes. “No.” Is all he manages to say and he closes his eyes again to hide the tears he can feel welling up for no reason. He thinks it’s ironic that his body chooses to be depressed when he has everything he could ever want.

“Stephen, baby,” Tony kneels down on the floor so he can level himself near Stephen’s face without crowding him. “I need you to talk to me a little, alright? Can you tell me what’s going on?” Tony strokes at Stephen’s sharp cheekbone and Stephen can’t make himself move.

“Depressed.” He finally days, because he’s a doctor and he knows what depression looks like in other people. He’s just never seen it in himself quite like this.

Tony is quiet for a moment and Stephen closes his eyes again.

“Skooch over.” He tells him, climbing up onto the bed and pulling Stephen’s head to his chest. “I’ve got you. Is this okay?” Tony strokes his hair and Stephen feels a tear roll down his nose onto Tony’s soft cotton tee shirt. “I’ve got you, baby. I’m right here.”

It doesn’t make it better, not really, but it feels better than laying there alone. He hadn’t noticed it before but looking back he can see the moments leading up to this. The lack of interest and the difficulty with feeling happiness. He sees that the mask he put on was less stoic than usual as stoicism became easy and faking emotion became a priority.

“How long have you been feeling like this?” Tony asked, bending his neck to kiss Stephen’s forehead.

Stephen can’t make himself answer and Tony sighs, holding him a little tighter. “I’ve got you. I’m not going anywhere unless you ask me to.”

It’s comforting to hear, but it doesn’t make Stephen feel any better.

He manages a quiet “thanks” anyway, and Tony murmurs reassurance at him while he goes back to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my [Tumblr](https://iwritefanficsometimes.tumblr.com)


End file.
